System for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration of remote-controlled toy car

ABSTRACT

The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration contains a microcontroller unit, a tact switch, an electronic regulation device for preventing unexpected acceleration, a voltage detection switch, one or more light emitting diodes, resistors, capacitors, transistors, and an inductor. After a battery is installed on the remote-controlled toy car, the battery&#39;s electricity will flow through the electronic regulation device and the voltage detection switch. On the other hand, the microcontroller unit receives signals from a detection and reception circuit and controls the throttle through a servo motor. As such, the battery power and the received signals are monitored to prevent the remote-controlled toy car from unexpected acceleration.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to remote-controlled toy cars, and especially relates to a system for remote-controlled toy cars for efficient power management and for the prevention of unexpected acceleration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Remote-controlled toy cars are popular among both adults and children. By a remote control console, the toy car is instructed to accelerate and turn at the player's will. Conventionally, inside the toy car, there is a detection and reception circuit for detecting and receiving instruction signals issued from the remote control console so that the toy car can perform acceleration, braking, turning, or backing up accordingly.

Preferably, when not playing, the remote-controlled toy car is turned off to save the power of its battery. However, if the player forgets to switch off the power, the battery would soon be consumed. On the other hand, the remote-controlled toy car may has its throttle set in its last state and, when the battery is replaced and the power is turned on, a large instantaneous current could cause unexpected acceleration of the remote-controlled toy car. This unexpected acceleration not only may cause damage to the remote-controlled toy car, but also may hurt the player or bystanders.

To avoid the aforementioned unexpected acceleration, a prevention device is required in the remote-controlled toy car's electrical control system to turn off the power when unexpected acceleration is about to happen.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, a main purpose of the present invention is to provide a system that will automatically make the remote-controlled toy car to enter a power saving mode when it is inoperative for a period of time, or when a low battery voltage is detected and an alarm is issued for a period of time.

Another purpose of the prevent invention is to provide a system to prevent the remote-controlled toy car's unexpected acceleration so that it is much safer to play.

To achieve the foregoing purposes, the system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to the present invention contains a microcontroller unit, a tact switch, an electronic regulation device for preventing unexpected acceleration, a voltage detection switch, one or more light emitting diodes. After a battery is installed on the remote-controlled toy car, the battery's electricity will flow through the electronic regulation device and the voltage detection switch. On the other hand, the microcontroller unit receives signals from a detection and reception circuit and controls the throttle through a servo motor. As such, the battery power and the received signals are monitored to prevent the remote-controlled toy car from unexpected acceleration.

The electronic regulation device contains inductors, a variable-frequency regulation circuit, and a regulation integrated circuit, for effective voltage stabilizing effect.

In the electronic regulation device, the regulation integrated circuit is replaced by a discrete element (MOSFET) which is used as a switch.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the integration of the system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration to a remote-controlled toy car.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing a system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according another embodiment of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to the present invention is integrated in a circuit board 1 and mainly contains a microcontroller unit (MCU) 10, a tact switch 11, an electronic regulation device 14, a voltage detection switch 13, a light emitting diode (LED) 14, a number of resistors and capacitors, an inductor 15, and a number of transistors.

The MCU 10 contains a power saving program and a memorization program. The power saving program will automatically make the remote-controlled toy car enter a power saving mode when the remote-controlled toy car is inoperative for, for example, 15 minutes. As such, the remote-controlled toy car's battery power is preserved even when the player forgets to turn off the remote-controlled toy car. On the other hand, when the voltage detection switch 13 detects that the battery's voltage has dropped to a low limit, the throttle of the remote-controlled toy car is first reduced to a lowest state. At this point, the LED 14 will blink slowly so as to indicate that there is not enough power and the battery has to be replaced. If the battery is not replaced and the low power condition continues for, for example, 15 minutes, the remote-controlled toy car will automatically enter the power saving mode where the power consumption is kept at the minimum and there is actually almost no power consumption.

The remote-controlled toy car is turned on by pressing and holding the tact switch 11 down for two seconds. The LED 14 will remain lit to indicate that the remote-controlled toy car is turned on and it is under a sufficient power condition. After the remote-controlled toy car is turned on, by pressing and holding the tact switch 11 down for 1 second, the current throttle state is memorized and the LED 14 will blink twice. Therefore, if the remote control console has set the throttle to its lowest, by following the above procedure, the lowest throttle state is memorized.

As shown in FIG. 2, by integrating the system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration to the circuit board 1, only a little space is required from the remote-controlled toy car 2 and only a little weight is added. Therefore, the remote-controlled toy car 2 could still maintain its performance.

As shown in FIG. 3, another embodiment of the system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration contains the MCU 10, the tact switch 11, a voltage detection switch 13, a number of LEDs 14, a number of resistors and capacitors, a transistor and a discrete power element (MOSFET) 16. The MOSFET functions as a switch.

The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration of the present invention has the following advantages. First, the system has combined two functions in a single circuit board and thereby the remote-controlled toy car is not burdened by additional space and weight. The remote-controlled toy car's performance is maintained.

In addition, the combination of two functions in a single circuit board has effectively reduced the production cost of the remote-controlled toy car. More over, as unexpected acceleration is effectively prevented and the remote-controlled toy car is safer to play.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration for a remote-controlled toy car, comprising a microcontroller unit, a tact switch, an electronic regulation device for preventing unexpected acceleration, a voltage detection switch, a light emitting diode, a plurality of resistors, a plurality of capacitors, a plurality of transistors, and an inductor; wherein said electronic regulation device and said voltage detection switch monitor a voltage from a battery of said remote-controlled toy car; said microcontroller unit receives signals from a detection and reception circuit of said remote-controlled toy car and controls a throttle through a servo motor, both of said remote-controlled toy car, so as to prevent unexpected acceleration from said remote-controlled toy car.
 2. The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to claim 1, wherein said microcontroller unit contains a power saving program.
 3. The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to claim 1, wherein said microcontroller unit contains a memorization program.
 4. The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to claim 1, wherein said electronic regulation device contains a plurality of inductors, a variable-frequency regulation circuit, and a regulation integrated circuit.
 5. The system for power management and preventing unexpected acceleration according to claim 4, wherein said regulation integrated circuit is replaced by a discrete element (MOSFET) which is used as a switch. 